Who plays there: A hive of roots/folk/world activity, with notable acts such as Dar Williams, Cate Le Bon and Sidi Touré often dropping by. There’s also the odd noisy wildcard like Drenge, and indie action in the form of Joan as Police Woman, et al.

Cloakroom: Yes

Admission: Very reasonable – around £8 – for newish acts; for established acts, prices are in line with London, around £20.

Bar: The Komedia's is a destination in its own right, given that the venue nestles in the heart of the North Laine area, with al fresco drinking for summer evenings. If you're staying inside, there are two air-conditioned bars.

Food: Cakes and coffee are available, but if you want a full meal, the upstairs cinema – Duke's at Komedia – has a bar/restaurant specialising in US soul food, including nachos, pulled-pork sandwiches, meatball subs and southern fried chicken. And Duke's serves bottled and draught beers in line with customer feedback, rather than just cans of Red Stripe.

Toilets: Downstairs, off the main room.

Wheelchair access: No.

Sound: Not bad, but probably best during acoustic gigs.

Where to stand: You’re better off sitting. To accommodate the low ceiling, the stage is only a couple of feet high; if it’s a standing show, be prepared not to see much unless you’re at the front. There are handy pillars halfway back for slouching against.

The place for a knees-up? Duke's Cinema at the Komedia Photograph: Dominic Dibbs/Alamy

Overall: The Komedia has the ambience of an arts centre, because, in effect, that’s what it is. Upstairs is a branch of Brighton’s venerated indie cinema, the Duke of York’s, while the Krater comedy club is a weekly institution. Until recently, the music venue was upstairs; when the Duke of York’s took over that space, music was moved to the refitted basement. As a result, it’s still fairly pristine down there – and the place attracts the sort of punter who isn’t likely to besmirch it by spilling drinks, anyway. It’s one of the city’s most grown-up venues, but it’s never lost its boho charm.